• • At temperatures below -30 °C, the friction coefficient decreased with increasing speed, attributed to the tearing out of snow grains and granular lubrication, indicating a wear-dominated regime.
• • At -8 °C, the friction coefficient increased with speed, attributed to the shearing off of grain tips and thermal softening, suggesting a thermally activated abrasion mechanism.
• • Increasing pressure reduced the friction coefficient at both -8 °C and below -30 °C, implying that pressure enhances contact area and promotes granular lubrication or softening.
• • The quasi-liquid layer (QLL) does not contribute significantly to ski–snow friction under the investigated conditions, challenging its presumed dominance and highlighting the importance of dry friction mechanisms.